Sealing device for pipe-couplings.



H. F. GRAY.

SEALING DEVICE FOR PIPE COUPLINGS.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.19.1905.

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UNITED STATES OFFICE].

HENRY F. GRAY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ADJUSTABLE CLIP COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SEALING DEVICE FOR PIPE-COUPLINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 30, 1907.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at C0- lumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Sealing Devices for Pipe-Couplings and the Like; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates more particularly to devices designed to prevent unauthorized appropriation of a commodity as, for example, water or gas, that is delivered to 0011- sumers through meters. Such preventive devices are sometimes called meter seals Quite commonly such seals have comprised, generally speaking, a pair of hollow semi circular shell sections adapted to inclose the coupling between the meter and the street supply and a frangible key or look of simple form adapted to engage and lock together the shell sections so as to prevent, without destruction of the key, access of the consumer to the coupling. But because of the simplicity of the keys heretofore proposed their reproduction by using the key itself as a pattern for molding and casting a duplicate was such a simple and inexpensive matter that the very purpose of the device could be easily and cheaply circumvented.

The chief object of my present invention is, therefore, to provide a key or look of such construction that it cannot be duplicated by simply using the key itself as a pattern for molding a duplicate and that the attempt to otherwise reproduce the lock or key shall involve so much trouble and expense as to discourage the proceeding.

In the accompanying drawings in which I have illustrated but one embodiment of the inventionFigure 1 is a plan view showing the lock applied to the shell sections; Fig. 2 is aside view of the same; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 9c0c Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line y-y Fig. 3 looking to the left; Figs. 5 and 6 are details showing the inner faces of the extensions of the shell sections that are engaged by the lock; and Fig. 7 is a perspective of the lock with a fraction cutout to show the hook therein that engages the spring on one of the shell sections.

In the several views 1 and 1 designate the shell sections the bodies of which are semicircular and concave-convex in form so that when placed together they shall form an inclosure for the coupling connecting the meter with the street supply. At their rear ends, that is, at the right hand side as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the sections are engaged with each other by means of a common form of hook and eye adapted to prevent separation of the sections at that end when they are properly placed together. At their opposite or front ends the sections 1 and 1 are provided with extensions 2 and 2 respectively. The extension 2 has secured to it in any suitable manner a spring 3 the free end of which projects beyond the outer face of the extension. The inner face of the extension 2 is made with a cavity 2 to receive a projection 2 on the extension 2 to aid in properly alining the sections in applying them to a meter coupling. The extension 2 is made of greater width than the extension 2 so as to provide portions 2 that project beyond the edge of the extension 2.

I come now to the principal feature of my invention which consists of the locking device and which I depict in perspective in Fig. 7. This lock consists of box-like structure 5 open at one end and made with slots 5 in its opposite sides said slots extending from the open end of the structure to the wall 5 connecting the two sides. One of the inner sides of the locking structure is made with a hook-like bead or tooth 5 the outer face of which is beveled inward from the end of the side while the inner face stands substantially at a right angle to the inner face of said side. hen the two shell sections are properly placed together around a coupling the lock is shoved onto them so that the free end of the spring 3 in the extension 2 will be first depressed and then spring outward into engagement with the bead or tooth 5 In this position of the lock the portions 2 of the extension 2 enter and sufficiently fill the slots 5 to prevent the insertion of an instrument to disengage the spring from the bead 5 The lock will be made of brittle, frangible cast metal, and the narrow portion of the wall 5 connecting the two sides of the lock will be easily breakable. It will be preferable to make the locking structure and slots 5 long enough to leave a free space beyond the ends of the extensions after the spring has become engaged the bead 5 so that by a light blow on the end of the lock the latter can be driven farther inward thereby expanding the sides thereof and fracturing the connecting portion of the wall 5. The contact of the ends of the extensionwith the divergent inner sides of the locking device, or the contact of the locking device at its open end with the curving junctions of the extensions with the shell bodies will be suflicient to effect the expan sion of the sides of the lock and the breaking of the wall 5 when the lock is driven inward.

The advantage of my proposed lock is that it is a hollow structure of cast metal the pattern for which is made with great difliculty and considerable expense and which, of course, requires a core in casting. These facts will serve as an effective deterrent to those contemplating theft of the commodity, or else lead fairly certainly to the detection of the offense.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A locking device for a pipe coupling and the like, comprising separable members for inclosing the coupling, said members having extensions, in combination with a sealing device comprising a box-like structure having openings around three sides and having a frangible wall connecting its opposite sides, said sealing device adapted to engage the aforesaid extensions and means for securing the same thereto, and means cooperating with the side openings to effect the fracture of said frangible wall when the boxlike structure is struck with a blow.

2. A locking device for a pipe coupling and the like, comprising separable members for inclosing the coupling, said members having extensions, in combination with a sealing device consisting of a box-like structure having openings around three sides and a frangible wall connecting its opposite sides, said sealing device adapted to engage the aforesaid extensions, and means for securing the same thereto, said sealing device being so fitted to said extensions that the sealing device is fractured when driven forcibly on to said exten- 810113.

3. A locking device for a pipe coupling and the like, comprising separable members for inclosing the coupling, said members having extensions one of which is wider than the other, in combination with a frangible boxlike structure having a slot in its side and adapted to engage said extensions with the edge of one of the extensions projecting into said slot, and means between one of the extensions and the box-like structure to lock the latter to the extensions.

4:. A locking device for a pipe coupling and the like, comprising separable members for inclosing the coupling, said members having extensions one of which is wider than the other, in combination with a frangible 'boxlike structure having a slot in its side and adapted to engage said extensions with the edge of one of the extensions projecting into the slot, and means between one of the ex tensions and the box-like structure to lock the latter to the extensions, said slot in the box-like structure being sufficiently long to permit the box-like structure to be thrust farther onto the extensions after it is locked thereto to fracture the box-like structure.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY F. GRAY.

Vitnesses:

ULYSSES R. PETERS, ALIoE B. 000K. 

